Alexander Zverev needs five sets to get past Damir Dzumhur
June 1, 2018
Alexander Zverev, the second seed, needed five sets and almost four hours to overcome Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 on Friday. The victory means that the 21-year-old Hamburg native will be going to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time in his career.
The young German got off to a good start in the match, winning the first set in just 24 minutes, and broke serve to take the lead in the second set as well. Not long afterwards, though, Dzumhur got the upper hand, taking the next two sets.
Zverev was his own worst enemy in what at times was a nightmare outing, as he hit 73 unforced errors, dropped serve seven times, and served up seven double faults. He also had to save a match point in the 11th game of the decider before breaking to punch his ticket for the final 16.
"It was amazing, a very high-level match," Zverev said in the interview on Court Philippe Chatrier. "The crowd was unbelievable."
Zverev, who many see as the main obstacle to Rafael Nadal claiming an 11th men's French Open title, was also pushed to five sets in his previous match against the 60th-ranked Serbian, Dusan Lajovic.
This is just the second time that Zverev has reached the final 16 at a Grand Slam, after Wimbledon last year. Zverev's next opponent will be either 15th seed Lucas Poille of France or Russia's Karen Khachanov.
Djokovic survives Bautista Agut test
Djokovic claimed a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 victory over a grieving Roberto Bautista Agut.
The 31-year-old former world number one struggled at times on Suzanne Lenglen court, but eventually came through the four-set battle in three hours and 48 minutes.
Djokovic has now made the last 16 of a Slam for the 43rd time, tying Jimmy Connors on the all-time list, second only to Roger Federer's tally of 60.
Seeded 20 after struggling to find his best form since returning from an elbow injury, Djokovic will take on Fernando Verdasco for a quarter final place after the Spaniard knocked out fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Bautista Agut was playing in Paris despite the death of his mother last week.
"Fours hours for the match, I'm a bit tired, Bautista Agut plays with too much patience for me, but I'm very happy to have won the match," said Djokovic.
Japan's Kei Nishikori made short work of home hope Gilles Simon as he cruised into the fourth round for the fifth time.
The 28-year-old, seeded 19 in his first Grand Slam since Wimbledon last year after struggling with a wrist injury, saw off Simon 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.
Nishikori will next play Austrian Dominic Thiem, the only man to beat Nadal on clay this year, after the seventh seed beat Italian Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2.
Wonderful Wozniacki wallops woefully weak wildcard
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki whizzed into the fourth round with a brutal 6-0, 6-3 demolition of local favorite Pauline Parmentier on Friday.
In front of an half empty Court Philippe Chatrier under threatening skies, the Danish second seed barely broke sweat to set up a meeting with Russian Daria Kasatkina.
A poor Parmentier managed only six points in the opening set, four of them being gifted by Wozniacki's unforced errors.
There was a brief smile on wildcard Parmentier's face when she finally won three games — after losing the first 11.
Wozniacki quickly regained control and wrapped it up on the second match point when the Frenchwoman sent a forehand long, her 27th unforced error of the match.
Elsewhere in the women's draw, US Open runner-up Madison Keys saw off Japanese 21st seed Naomi Osaka 6-1, 7-6, setting up a last-16 tie with 31st seed Mihaela Buzarnescu.
Play was eventually abandoned in Paris due to rain.